Two thousand performers auditioned Wednesday for “American Idol” at the Tuscaloosa Amphitheater.The singers were looking to follow in the footsteps of Kelly Clarkson, the winner of the television talent competition's first season, who almost a year ago was in concert on that same stage.

By Ashley ChaffinStaff Writer | The Tuscaloosa News

Two thousand performers auditioned Wednesday for “American Idol” at the Tuscaloosa Amphitheater.The singers were looking to follow in the footsteps of Kelly Clarkson, the winner of the television talent competition's first season, who almost a year ago was in concert on that same stage.“They're actually going to come in and be singing on the amphitheater stage,” Brian Robinson, senior producer with “American Idol,” said Wednesday morning before auditions began. “We're excited about that because that's where they should be ending up at the end of this show, so it will be a nice progression from this early audition on the stage to performing with the top 10 next season.”

WATCH VIDEO FROM "AMERICAN IDOL" AUDITIONS

“American Idol,” which will soon begin its 13th season, has helped launch the careers of Clarkson, Chris Daughtry, Carrie Underwood, Jordin Sparks and Adam Lambert.Three of the people who made it to the second round of auditions on Wednesday shared much more than just the Tuscaloosa Amphitheater stage — they shared a guitar.C.J. Harris, Garrett Nichols and Dexter Roberts all used Roberts' Fender acoustic guitar during their separate auditions. Roberts knew Nichols before the audition and let Harris use the guitar when his guitar string broke while he was standing in line. “I guess it's got some luck to it, I reckon,” Roberts said. Roberts sang “I Like to Drive” by Casey James a cappella and “Country in My Soul” by Florida Georgia Line accompanied by his guitar. This was the first year “American Idol” allowed auditions with a guitar, which Roberts said made him happy.“I don't know if it helped,” he said. “I feel naked without it because I play all the time.”For the audition, all the singers were brought into the amphitheater and separated into groups of four. Each group performed for the judges and were told whether they made it through. Outside the amphitheater, cheers were heard every time they let another person through to the second round. Roberts, Harris and Nichols will now have the opportunity to audition with executive producers of “American Idol,” with these auditions taking place in various cities on different days. “I hope it changes my life,” Roberts said. “I don't know if I'll make it, but hopefully I do. If I do make it, I want to go and try to be a country music singer.” All of the “American Idol” hopefuls began lining up outside the amphitheater as early as 3 a.m. for their shot at performing for a group of the show's producers. Kelsey Wilson, 20, was first in line. The audition was the first time Wilson had tried out for a television show. “I'll be singing 'Summertime' by Fantasia, but I kind of did a little extra here and there — a little opera in there,” Wilson said. “It shows my range — hopefully it does.” Although Wilson, a Tuscaloosa native and Stillman College student, didn't make it to the next round of auditions, she said she was praying someone from the city would. Garrett Nichols, a 16-year-old Tuscaloosa native, sang a Stevie Wonder song that advanced him to the second round of auditions. His dad, Scott Nichols, said Garrett has been singing since he was about 9. “This is his first time doing an audition, but he has played a lot of shows and competitions as far as talent shows for school,” Scott Nichols said.He said that while they waited for his son's audition, they saw a lot of talent from the crowd that came out in Tuscaloosa. By 1 p.m., about five hours into the audition day, only four people had advanced to the second round.“There was a ton of talent,” Scott Nichols said. “Very surprising that right now only four have made it.” The “American Idol Audition Bus Tour” is stopping in five cities across the South in August. Tuscaloosa marked the third stop on the tour, and the bus will move on to Knoxville, Tenn., on Friday and finally to Winston-Salem, N.C., on Aug. 26.Robinson said he was happy with the turnout for the Tuscaloosa stop. “It's great, it looks like the early line is solid and there are a lot of people here. Turnout in Tuscaloosa has been amazing, just lots of enthusiasm, and we're really excited to have the auditions taking place here,” he said.